


Like I Do

by 9fn432



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-29
Updated: 2012-05-29
Packaged: 2017-11-06 05:50:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/415445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/9fn432/pseuds/9fn432
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco wants to propose to Harry, and he wants to make it special. Unfortunately his attempts at grand romantic gestures don't pan out, and with some misguided assistance from Harry's friends, nothing quite goes to plan. COMPLETE</p>
<p>Entry for hp_getlucky 2012 Get Lucky Fest</p>
<p>Prompt: Prompt 26 - Draco isn't just getting lucky on St Patrick's Day, he's been lucky since he started dating Harry. Now, he's hoping that on St Patrick's Day, he'll become an even luckier man when Harry says yes to his proposal.</p>
<p>Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.</p>
<p>See beginning authors notes for information regarding Chinese translation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like I Do

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my prereaders bekahmango and Megan, and the lovely Maureen for being an amazing beta.
> 
> A Chinese translation of this story can be found here: http://www.luvharry.net/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=18833&extra=page%3D1 - thanks to Lynset for translating this!

**March 12**

The table was set with the best china, everlasting candles floated in the dining room. Draco surveyed the set-up with a sense of pride and anticipation. Tonight would be perfect. His robes were pressed and hanging in the bedroom closet. He had four hours to cook, nothing could go wrong.

**…**

_Bang!_ The lid exploded off the saucepan, followed by another bang as it hit the ceiling, and a final _bang, clatter_ as it landed on the floor. These noises eclipsed the _slosh, splat_ of the seafood bisque painting the bench, wall and floor.

Draco stood dejectedly in the middle of the room, hair hanging lank about his face, clothing looking stained and bedraggled. _Damn._ Kreacher flapped his ears in horror, sending a spray of bisque over Draco. "Just shut it!" Draco growled, and the house-elf retreated quickly into his kitchen cupboard. A blob of something dripped from Draco's hair onto his shoulder, which sagged with the other in defeat. He summoned one of the Manor house-elves to help with the cleanup of the kitchen, while he went to clean up himself.

Showered and clean, Draco sequestered himself in his potions lab in the basement, while Mipsy was left with the task of setting the kitchen aright. He hoped she put things away in the right place this time, or Kreacher was likely to tip Harry off to his plans. His plans which were rapidly needing a major overhaul.

The routine tasks of chopping, measuring and stirring ingredients helped to bring his anxiety down to a manageable level. By the time he had stoppered the last vial of headache draught, he felt confident he could face Harry without alerting his lover to his plans. His seriously derailed plans. He wasn't sure if Mrs. Weasley would have patience for another firecall after he had taken over her kitchen all of the previous week.

"Draco?" Harry stepped into the front hallway, making a conscious effort not to tense against the tirade he had become so used to hearing. Three years after Draco had moved in, the sticking charm on Walburga's portrait had unexpectedly given way, but Harry still expected to be verbally abused every time he entered Grimmauld Place.

Draco's head appeared at the top of the stairs to the kitchen. His eyes wouldn't quite meet Harry's as they met in the hallway, their lips pressing together, arms wrapping around each other. "Hi, love" Draco whispered when they pulled apart.

"Hi to you, too," Harry whispered back. He wrinkled his nose. "Why can I smell fish?"

**oOoOoOo**

**March 14**

Draco stepped into the shop and gazed around. After the fiasco of trying to cook dinner the other night, flowers seemed a safer route. He could envision Harry arriving home and being presented with a large bouquet of something elegant, the fragrance surrounding them as Draco expressed his desires with words of love and devotion. Something flapped near his head and he raised his hand to bat it away.

"Oh, they won't hurt you," a dreamy voice drifted from behind a large purple bush.

He looked up to see what looked like a pygmy puff with six wings fluttering above him. A fine shower of glitter burst from the creature at random intervals, dusting his hair and robes with a fine layer of the substance.

"Ooh, he likes you!" Luna Lovegood declared as she stepped around the bush, which had changed to a sickening greenish brown and was moulting leaves at a rapid rate.

"Um, your plant…" Draco mumbled, and leapt back as the plant began shooting out globs of sap, narrowly missing Draco's fine wool robes.

"He'll be fine," she said airily, waving her wand to gather the sap, which was now emitting a rather foul smell. "Lovely to see you Draco. Is romance on your mind?"

He was never quite sure how she could come across so fanciful and be so astute at the same time. "I suppose… Is Neville about?"

"No, he's away collecting some Moondew today. I do hope the nargles let him finish early, I need his help breeding the next flutterpuff…" She drifted slowly into the back of the store and started tying ribbons on a flutterby bush.

"Oh…" Draco said, feeling a little unsure. He wasn't confident in Luna's ability when it came to selecting flowers, until he spied a shelf in the back with hundreds of roses in varying colours. On looking at them a little longer, he noticed the colours shift and change slowly. They would be perfect. "Luna, do you mind if I just grab some roses? I want to drop by and give Harry a bit of a surprise," he called out as she meandered into the back storeroom.

She popped her head around the curtain. "Harry would love some roses," Luna said in a dreamy voice. "Red roses for love, but only if they have three thorns and a ladybug."

Draco shook his head at Luna's flights of fancy and selected two dozen of the stems from the back shelf. He placed them on the charmed counter and waited while they were wrapped in white paper and tied with a black ribbon. He couldn't help but be impressed with the spellwork required. "Thanks Luna, how much for the roses?"

She drifted back into the store and looked over the flowers. "Ooh, they look lovely. Harry will certainly like those! Just be careful with the fangs. Neville will just put it on your account when he gets back, he hasn't priced that breed yet."

He looked a little perplexed at the warning, but gathered up his purchase and left the store.

**…**

Harry arrived home from work and hung up his cloak on its designated hook in the hallway. He unshrunk a pile of paperwork from one of the pockets and made his way to the kitchen. The sight that greeted him caused him to stop in his tracks. Draco was shirtless and seated at the kitchen table, a tin of salve sat open beside him and he was dabbing the thick ointment on dozens of cuts and scratches on his hands, arms and face.

"Merlin, Draco! What happened to you?" he cried, rushing over to his lover.

"It's nothing," Draco muttered, continuing the treatment. Harry couldn't help but notice as Draco's eyes flicked over to the floor in the corner. He walked over to see a mishmash of white paper, black ribbon and shredded petals and rose stems, spattered with blood.

"This? This is nothing?" Harry moved to sit close to Draco and gently lifted one arm to inspect the wounds. "This is not nothing Draco, what happened?"

Draco sighed. "I went to buy you flowers today. Neville was off harvesting Moondew, and Luna was left in charge of the store. I didn't realise when she warned me about the fangs on the roses that she meant actual fangs, I just assumed she meant thorns." He hissed and closed his eyes as Harry started dabbing the ointment gently on his face. "Turns out I picked out Nev's new crossbreed of roses and fanged geraniums. And the wounds can't be healed with an episkey, hence this disgusting salve."

The brush of lips across his own startled Draco into opening his eyes again. "You bought me flowers?" Harry asked with a grin.

**oOoOoOo**

**March 16**

Harry rushed into the treatment room in St. Mungo's. "Draco!" he cried. "Are you alright? What happened?"

Draco was sitting on a gurney, grimacing as a Mediwizard was applying a healing ointment to wounds on his face. A Healer was dictating notes to a quickquotes quill. "Ah, Mr. Potter," the Healer greeted him. He peeled a sheet of parchment off the clipboard and handed it to Harry along with a tin of the ointment. "Mr. Malfoy will need this salve applied to his wounds three times a day, ALL his wounds. Make sure your hands are clean, before AND after. He will also need to take this potion," the Healer handed Harry a box containing six vials of a mauve potion, "every morning for the next six days. And no more exposure to squirrels, or the allergic reaction will be much worse." The Healer returned to his clipboard, essentially dismissing Harry.

Harry juggled the parchment, tin and box in his arms until he felt he had a secure hold. Draco was still perched on the gurney, the Mediwizard putting the finishing touches to his face. "Um, Draco?" Harry asked uncertainly. "What happened? Hagrid owled me all in a flap about squirrels and you in St. Mungo's."

Draco brushed the over attentive Mediwizard away and hopped down off the gurney. "Can we please just go home?" he sighed. His face was red and blotchy with scratches and cuts on his nose, cheeks and chin.

As he observed the pain and exhaustion in Draco's eyes, Harry took pity on him. "Yes, let's go home. But don't think you'll get out of telling me what happened," he admonished. Draco's shoulders sagged, but his lips curled up just a little as Harry wrapped his arm around him and pulled him close. Harry brushed a gentle kiss over an unharmed patch of skin on Draco's jaw. "Come on, love." He nodded to the Healer and Mediwizard, and took advantage of being an Auror, apparating out of the treatment room.

**…**

"Hagrid brought you squirrels?"

Draco shuffled around the kitchen putting the kettle on the stove and avoiding eye contact. "Yes. He..." Draco paused. "He heard I was trying to..." he drifted off.

"Go on," Harry prompted, his Auror instincts on high alert.

Shoulders slumped in defeat. "He heard I was trying to organise a surprise for you, so he thought some cute animals would help."

Harry eyed Draco with suspicion. "A surprise? Cute and fluffy animals? Draco, what is going on?"

Draco sat down at the kitchen table with a huff. "I... Do I have to tell you?"

"Draco, you've been acting strangely all week. And you've been injured twice. I think you need to tell me what's going on."

The kettle whistled, and Draco eagerly grabbed the opportunity to pause the conversation. He made the tea in a pot and carried it to the table with two cups. Another sixty seconds of reprieve were granted as he poured and doctored the tea to each of their tastes, a few more seconds as they each took first sips.

"Draco, please talk to me, I'm beginning to get worried about you," Harry pleaded.

Draco put his cup down on the table. He seemed to come to a decision. "Harry, can it wait till tomorrow? I can tell you what happened today, but it's important to me to get this right. Please?"

Harry considered Draco, the hope in his eyes, listening to the plea in his words. "Alright, tomorrow. Tell me now what happened today."

This time shoulders sagged in relief. "Hagrid came around. He had these squirrels in a cage, said they would be good at carrying things." He paused to take a sip of tea. "I was doubtful, I've never really trusted him and his creatures, but everything else I've tried has failed. I was starting to get desperate." Harry arched an eyebrow. "You'll find out tomorrow, I promise." After seeing Harry nod, Draco continued. "Hagrid gave me some peanuts, said it would attract the squirrels to me, told me to put them in my pockets. He opened the cage and gave one of them a key, told it to bring the key to me. Two seconds later, both of the creatures were on me, biting and scratching, but not even at my pockets, well you can see what they did." He put on his best pity me, I'm in pain look and cheered internally when Harry wrapped him up in his arms.

"Rest tonight love, we've got drinks at Seamus' tomorrow night."

**oOoOoOo**

**March 17**

Draco woke up and looked at the time, groaning when he realized he had slept most of the day away. He had planned to wake Harry with whispers and soft kisses, but the events of yesterday must have taken more out of him than he expected. He touched his face and grimaced when he felt a fresh greasy layer of ointment on his skin. At least Harry hadn't let his sleep-in interfere with his treatment. He pulled on some boxers and a t-shirt and wandered down to the kitchen to see Harry expertly flipping pancakes. Kreacher was conspicuously absent.

Harry started when Draco wrapped his arms around him from behind. "Morning, love. Did you sleep well?"

More interested in the man in his arms than speaking, Draco grunted and pressed his lips to Harry's neck.

"So do I get to find out what this surprise is today?" Harry asked cheekily.

He licked a stripe up the side of Harry's neck, then stepped back. "After breakfast. Or brunch. Or afternoon tea, whatever this is…" he muttered and set about making coffee.

Once Draco was seated and had consumed his first sip of the dark, bitter brew, he felt a little more human. Harry placed a plate of pancakes in front of Draco, who barked out a laugh when he spied the sparkling four leaf clover charmed into the top pancake. "Happy St. Patrick's day, love," Harry said, pressing his lips to Draco's before taking his own seat and digging into his food.

**…**

"Draco!" Harry yelled out from the bottom of the stairs. "We'll be late! You look fine. The glamour will hold, no one will see the cuts." He grinned when Draco finally began to descend the stairs. Harry's practiced Auror eye could see the faint shimmer of the glamour on his face and hands, but to the casual observer Draco looked as dashing as he usually did.

"Are you sure? Weasley will give me enough grief about the bloody squirrels, if he spies even the slightest scratch I'll never hear the end of it!" he complained.

Harry brushed a gentle kiss on Draco's cheek, aiming for a wound-free patch of skin. "I flooed him earlier to tell him to keep his mouth shut. No one will know. Now let's go and have a good time, I hear Seamus has a special brew for us all to try tonight. He's been working with George."

Draco looked at Harry with a sense of horror. "Finnegan and George working together? That can't bode well…"

"Oh shush, just relax, and we'll both have a great night." He pulled Draco towards the fireplace. "Come on, we're already late," he urged when Draco didn't move.

"Wait!" Draco said nervously, and swallowed. "I need…" he paused. "Close your eyes?"

Harry looked at Draco with confusion. "What are you on about? We're late, we need to get going!"

"Just, humour me, ok?" Draco was pale, a faint sheen of moisture evident on his forehead.

"Are you alright? You're not having another allergic reaction?" Harry pressed the back of his hand against Draco's forehead. "You're starting to worry me!"

Draco huffed. "I'm fine! This is… can you just close your eyes? Please?"

"But…" Harry wavered for a moment, then complied. "Ok, eyes closed. Hurry up, we're going to be so late!"

He heard a rustle of clothing, and felt Draco grab his hand. "Just hush. This is important," Draco said quietly. "Open your eyes, love." Harry opened his eyes and gasped when he spied Draco on one knee. He held Harry's left hand in his right, and the other was presented palm up to Harry, a single four leaf clover laying in his hand. "Harry, I wanted to do this so differently. I had in mind a romantic dinner, or flowers, without the attack squirrels, mind. Unfortunately Mrs. Weasley's cooking lessons weren't very successful once I was on my own, and you know what happened with the roses. I wanted to do it this morning, wake you up gently, but I overslept. None of my plans have worked, so instead it's just me, and with a little bit of Irish luck in hand…" Draco paused and took a deep breath. "Harry James Potter, since the moment I met you, you turned my life upside down. You've given so much to me, to everyone, but in the last few years, you've given me my life. You've taught me to view myself beyond a mark on my skin, beyond the history of my family. And for some reason, you seem to want me to stick around. I thought it might be time to make it official. Harry, will you make me the luckiest, happiest wizard, and marry me?" He held his breath.

Harry was deadly silent and still for all of five seconds after Draco stopped speaking. "For Merlin's sake, Draco, I'm not some bloody woman, get up!" He yanked at Draco's hand in an attempt to put them on an equal footing, and when he refused, Harry huffed, and got down on onto his knees. He threw his arms around Draco and kissed him hard.

Finally pulling back for air, Draco looked at Harry uncertainly. He was still cradling the clover in his hand. "So is that a yes?"

Harry pressed his lips to Draco's again briefly before smiling beatifically at him. "Of course it's a yes, you silly prat!" He watched as the clover shimmered in Draco's hand for a moment before disappearing. A second later, a tingle on his left ring finger drew his attention to a simple brushed titanium band with a four leaf clover embossed into the metal formed around his finger.

"I don't need a fancy proposal, Draco. I don't need to be wined and dined, no fancy plans. This is perfect, just you and me." He leaned in again and they lost themselves in each other, the serenity of loving each other the way no one else could.

**…**

An hour later they finally stumbled through the floo at Seamus' house, looking slightly more dishevelled than they had intended, but both wearing irrepressible grins. Mugs of green ale were pressed into their hands by George Weasley, which they drank eagerly, too high from their earlier activities to be suspicious of. A moment later each man was burping rather obnoxiously, sparkling four leaf clovers and leprechaun gold being expelled from their mouths.

George and Seamus whooped with laughter at their joke, even though it was old news for all the other guests. For once Draco couldn't find it in himself to be annoyed, and grinned at everyone in the room. "George, you got this one right. That goes perfectly with this!" he exclaimed, holding up Harry's left hand.

The news was greeted with a chorus of "congratulations!" and "you sneaky bastard!" and "ooh, great ring choice, Draco!" and "when's the wedding?" Glasses were clinked against each other, hugs and kisses shared, more alcohol was consumed and many more St Patrick's Day burps decorated the air in the room. Eventually the clamor died down and Harry and Draco shared a private moment in the corner of the room.

"I love you, Draco," Harry murmured as they swayed slowly to music that was far too rambunctious for their motion, but neither cared.

Draco nuzzled Harry's neck and scattered small kisses over his skin. "I love you too." He pressed his lips to Harry's. "Is it time to go home yet?"

"Soon," Harry agreed. "You tired of all the attention already?"

"No," Draco sighed. "Well, yes, maybe a little. But really I just want to take you home and celebrate. Properly, slowly, I want to draw it out. I want it to last all night." His voice drew out the words sensually, until they were little more than a husky whisper.

Harry groaned. "It's time to go home, now!" he pushed his body firmly up against Draco's.

"Are you sure? You don't want to spend some more time talking about magical creature rights with Granger? Or discussing profit margins with George?" Draco asked cheekily.

"Absolutely sure," Harry growled. "Home, now!" he repeated as he dragged Draco toward the floo. "'Night everyone, I'm off to shag my boyf…husband to be," he emphasized, "senseless! Don't come knocking!"

Draco pulled Harry into a bruising kiss in front of everyone just before they stepped into the floo to the sound of laughter, catcalls and wolf whistles.

**~Fin~**


End file.
